Wednesday, September 26, 2012

*i love you* Fudge



Barefoot Love!

*I Cook Barefooted!*

I'm not much of a chocolate fiend.
I wouldn't make a very convincing cookie monster. 
(Though I do like his style!)
And you pro-bab-ly won't see me high-tailin' it 
to catch up with the ice cream man on a hot day.

But wrap some homemade fudge up in a little blanket,
tie a love note to it,
and
address it to me...

and I will follow you around like a fat, sick puppy
because that is what I will be once I'm finished gorging on compliments and candy!
  

Collect.


Compose.




Seal and Deliver.




"I LOVE... 
That you can turn an off handed comment about broccoli 
into a three hour discussion about politics in organized sports."

A dear friend gave *i love you* jars as gifts to all us girls a few years ago for Christmas.
I fell in love with her idea and did the same for my Kentucky family.
After collecting mason jars of all sizes, shapes, and colors,
scouting out the best (and idiot proof) 
homemade fudge recipes I could find,
and hunkering down with pen and paper,
I continued the gift that kept on giving... 
I spread around the LOVE!

*I wonder if she knows just what she's started.*

"I LOVE...
That you get so excited about everything you do.
Nothing half ass for Scarlett."


       ~ A few of my favorites ~

S'more Fudge
 2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 (7 oz. jar) marshmallow creme
2 cups chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Butter a small square pan.
In a large pot, combine sugar, butter and evaporated milk.
Bring to a boil over medium heat;
stirring constantly.
Boil 5 minutes and remove from heat.
Add marshmallow creme and chocolate chips.
Blend till smooth.
Stir in vanilla.
Pour into pan and cool to room temperature. 
Score the fudge into small square pieces.
Refrigerate till firm.
Remove fudge from pan and cut rest of way through.
Refrigerate.
"A piece for You. A piece for Me."


Chocolate Mint Fudge
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
6 oz. white chocolate
2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. peppermint extract

Add 1 cup milk to chocolate chips. Melt.
Add vanilla.
Pour half of the mixture into an 8x8 in. wax paper-lined pan.
Let cool for 10 minutes. 
Melt white chocolate with remaining milk.
Add peppermint and green food coloring.
(Mixture will be very thick.)
Spread on first layer.
Cool another 10 minutes.
Top with other half of chocolate mixture.
Cool.
Remove from pan, remove paper. Cut into squares.
Refrigerate.
"A piece for You. A piece for Me."


Maple Nut Fudge
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Boil sugar, cream, and butter until soft ball stage is reached.
Add nuts and vanilla.
Beat until ready to pour into wax paper-lined pan.
Cool.
Refrigerate.
"A piece for You. A piece for Me." 







***

You want reviews?
How 'bout,
"I Love... This!"





 How 'bout You?
Have a recipe you want to share on 
*I Cook Barefooted!*?
Show some Barefoot Love and...

Send it here:  scarlettcolleen@yahoo.com 
Want to include a photo? Fun!

What's on your table?



“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions.
All life is an experiment.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 *Barefoot Love* Airbrush By, Colleen 
2012

15 comments:

  1. You are speaking my fudge-loving language!! Double yummy yum! And I love the love notes jar, her note message to you is perfect. *tucks idea away in pocket*
    Catherine Denton

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. *g* She knows me well!

      The love note jars were a bit hit on Christmas Eve, Catherine. But this kind of gift truly is a gift to the giver as well.

      The time I spent composing my family's love notes, once again, confirmed the blessings I've received from all of them!

      Delete
  2. My favorite Christmas gift ever :) I still go back and look at them and smile. I made them for my Paris friends last Christmas and put them in Eiffel Tower jars :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eiffel Tower jars! How cool!

      You spread the LOVE, my sweet, with pizazz!

      Love! Auntie Scarlett

      Delete
  3. The I Love You jars are truly inspired. Hmmm...maybe if I can get my WIP finished by Thanksgiving I could take them on as a homemade xmas present with LOVE from my kiddos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ummmm... if by WIP you mean the second in your 'Losing Beauty' series, then by all means! Finish it by Thanksgiving!!

      So easy for kids to make! And affordable for multiple friends, teachers, or family. You can start with small jars and numbers, attach your little "love" note to each piece of fudge... or whatever, and cover the lid with a small piece of fabric to suit the person, the holiday, or the occasion. I tied a piece of twine around the closed lid and made another little *love note tag* with their name on it.

      Delete
    2. Wait... Or is it the third in your series? I just saw that 'Losing Hope' is to be released this October! Woo hoo!!

      Delete
  4. I have to admit, I love chocolate. And fudge.

    Thanks for the recipes! And for the lovely jar idea. I did something like that once, a long time ago. It worked out really well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your welcome!
      They're hassle free, but good.

      Can there be any more suitable a gift than that which examines the depth of one's love?

      Elizabeth Barrett Browning said it best:

      ~How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.~

      Delete
  5. During the holidays, I make fudge for my family, friends, and neighbors (I have been caught falling asleep at the stove while stirring the pot), but I've never added little notes of love or put the fudge in pretty mason jars. What a FABulous idea for gift-giving (even to oneself! hah!)! Your friend is a creative goddess for coming up with it and YOU are a creative goddess for passing it on with your lovely-amazing-Scarlett style.

    I will be proud and happy to pick up the mason jar and spread the love (and fudge, same thing in my world).

    Btw, really happy to see you've posted a recipe for Maple Nut Fudge. I've always wanted to make it, but wanted a recommendation, soooooo thanks and big smiles to you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard of falling asleep on the pot, but this sounds a wee bit more dangerous. *g* The god-dess definitely suggests these recipes! They're easy-peasy to make. No thermometers. Just a quick stir or two, pour and wait for your rewards to cool. Or not.

      I really liked the Maple Nut. Posted the Chocolate Mint, only because my family loves that combo, and thought others might too. The s'mores recipe was yummy, but seeing as how there's no graham in the recipe, I probably should have called it Moonpie Fudge.

      *i love you* jars are the perfect gift.
      Sweet.
      Cheap.
      Happy tears.






      Delete
    2. As a grateful recipient of the blue Ball jar filled with love notes and FUDGE on the side, I can attest to the powerful message it gave me--I am LOVED! Thank you, Scarlett!! PS: The fudge was so good, I didn't mention to my husband that it was included--I ate all of it at the first sitting. Is that bad?
      AuntiE

      Delete
    3. Well, I don't rightly know why this popped in here out of order, but I'm trying to go with the flow these days where I can, so...

      AuntiE,

      Yes! You most definitely ARE loved! And I'm so glad the fudge tasted as good as I'd hoped.

      Delete
  6. I never make fudge. I should, but I never have.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never made fudge either, Elizabeth. Until I found recipes that were quick and didn't require a thermometer. Truthfully, I've only made them when giving gifts. That would be just too much temptation for me to make fudge regularly.

      Oooohh... Apple? No, fudge. Sometimes I wish the "angel" sitting on my shoulder would just punch the "devil" right in his/her fudge eating mouth!

      Delete